Lunch lines

WILL COLFORD

Skiers and riders can either grab a quick bite or enjoy a relaxing lunch at Temple Lodge, located on Lake Louise's backside. WILL COLFORD/SnowSeekers

LAKE LOUISE, AB — The sun is high in the sky and I’ve just descended another long and varied run at Lake Louise; after riding all morning the only thing louder than my howls of joy, is the growl of hunger. Not knowing where to go, I turn to a fellow skier and ask, “Hey, where abouts on this mountain can a man get a good meal?”

The on-hill eateries are as varied as the Lake’s terrain and the riders that shred it; however, depending on what type of rider or skier you are, two spots rise above the rest. Director of sales and marketing, John Ross, likes to ‘take lunch.’ 

Doing lunch the right way

That doesn’t mean a power bar on the gondola, or even a soup in the cafeteria; no, that means leather furniture, an experienced server, a good pint and a great meal.  

The Powder Keg houses all of these features under one-hell of a nice roof. Located above the hustle and cheery bustle of the day lodge, the lounge encourages social interaction amongst comfortably seated diners.  

“The reasons John loves this place so much are our longstanding staff and the Bagel Skins,” said Adrin Beers, the Food and Beverage manager. “The Bagel Skins are miniature bagels topped with green onion, bacon, cheese and garlic butter.”

All of which means, these mouth-watering morsels have enough energy to keep skiers and riders going hard for the rest of their day. In addition to a great meal, diners can expect exceptional service from local staff who can offer insider info and a frosty pint in a swift and intimate manner.

“The lodge is right at the base of all the action,” said Beers, “and the powder keg is located comfortably in the middle of it all.” 

Original lodge, delicious food

By nice contrast, Temple lodge is nestled away from “all the action,” but buried within the best terrain.  

Located on the backside of Lake Louise at the bottom of the Larch ski area, Temple lodge is one of the original rocky mountain alpine lodges. Though this new iteration was constructed in 1979 – after the 1938 original burned down – it uses old construction techniques in order to recreate “a rustic throw back to the days before the super resorts.” 

Like the staff at the Powder Keg, Temple lodge Chef Kevin Berdard hand picks his crew to ensure riders and skiers looking for a quality lunch fix can get in, grab some grub, and get back on the slopes in 10 minutes. Boosting the staff’s morality is the need to ski in and out of work every day, ensuring that during the most hectic of workdays, riding is guaranteed.

As someone who once worked in an on-hill kitchen, getting in a ride before and after work helped keep a smile across my face and a pep in my step every single day. If, however, the more advanced terrain of the backside is wearing you out, head upstairs to the 100 seat restaurant/lounge style eatery Skiers Nook to recharge the batteries.  

Great options everywhere

Whether you’re doing Larch laps or coming down from Boomerang Bowl, Temple lodge offers a chance to keep your energy hi, without having to leave the best lines on Louise.

If you’re doing cruisers on the front, or diving chutes on the back, Temple Lodge and the Powder Keg have your hunger fix covered.  So come in from riding and join me for a pint, I’ll be the one licking off a plate of Bagel Skins.

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